yes, a poor summer, but finally some blooms :)

13 years ago

It's been miserable here 2 miles from the ocean, overcast mornings, cool days, Sept temps closer to Oct/Nov averages. Mildew on all my plants all summer, stunted flowers and leaves, lot's of aborted inflo's. The only reliable bloomer has been my Thornton's Lemon drop.

However, going into late August and now in early Sept I have a couple of good bloomers, and some finally showing some inflo's growing, but unclear if those inflo's will mature before winter chill sets in. Any so cal locals with possible odds on the inflo's blooming before Dec? The first two inflo's are Thai Splash, languishing for a coupe of month's but finally showimg some energy the past few weeks.

Thornton's Lemon Drop, today (been blooming since June):

J105, yesterday and today:

What I think is "J4", bought 2 3 years ago from Thailand via ebay, one was sold as "Multiple Gold" and the other as "J4" but I'm guessing the J4 is right (the pictures are of one larger plant with a smaller one righy next to it). Very stocky almost stunted growth on both, but tons of bloom now:

Inflo's on what I'm told is an Irma5, another Thai ebay purchase from 3 years ago, arrived dried out, barely rooted by Sept in 2008, rotted from the ground that winter, had to cut it in half and reroot in 2009 (again took until Sept to leaf ott) and finally now in 2010 is taking off and these inflos popped up about three weeks ago:

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Comments (3)

tropicalzone7
13 years ago
Wow, it sounds like your plumerias werent liking the cool summer California has had! The cold weather was very presistant in Cali almost this entire summer! Im glad that you managed to get some beautiful blooms and inflos on some of them though. I wonder if Thornton's Lemon Drop is a more cool tolerant plumeria.
Great pics! You definitely got some beautiful blooms this summer despite the cool weather. Thanks for sharing. Hope next summer is a warmer summer for the west coast and another warm one for the east coast!
-Alex
tdogdad
13 years ago
Glad you finally got some blooms. I am by South Coast Plaza so I probably got just a bit more sun than you. My Thornton Lemon has been pumping out hundreds of flowers all summer so it must be hardy. Also Daisy Wilcox, several Moranges, Golden Rainbow, Ruffles, and a Kanohe Sunburst are going strong. Then I have a Guillot's Sunset in my back yard covered with flowers and one in my front with one inflo blooming. Same with a Celadine. This tells me that small temperature changes or moisture changes in the air (fog) can vary within several hundred feet and affect plants accordingly. Interesting but frustrating.
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mjhuntingtonbeach
Original Author
13 years ago
yes tdogdad, a few miles seems to make a world of difference. I'm just about two miles from the ocean near sea level, and I can't remember such a cold foggy summer,rarely over 72 day times.

Luckily by So Coast, you'd be what, 4-6 miles further inland and a fair amount furtehr abovve sea level. I work near there and the day time summer norms are usually about 20 degrees warmer (rarely gets over 75 on the coast, near So Coast I recall regular 80's - 90's. Amazing what a difference a few miles makes.

Even my celadine, which has been at least growing well is only this week showing signs of tiny inflos. My established Samoan Fluff has had buds, but distorted blooms for a couple of months when it's usually covered with nice blooms all summer.

I have some dragon fruit cactus, finally bloomed this year, the books say 41-45 days from bloom to ripening but it took over 60 days. We'll now that the "la nina" eddy should be changing next summer to an el nino condition, looking forward to a better 2011.